Enjoying the first runs of a new ski season

The world simply looks better dressed in white. Especially through ski goggles!

Tim Jones

The world simply looks better dressed in white. Especially through ski goggles!

I know this for a fact. On Wednesday, Nov. 19, I made my first turns of the 2008/09 winter season on the slopes of Killington Resort in Vermont.

I know, I know ... some of you beat me by a month. Lucky you for getting to Mount Snow when it opened its Launch Pad Terrain Park on Oct. 19. I'm not a park rat, what can I say?

Some of you also beat me by almost three weeks at Sunday River in Newry, Maine, when it was the first to turn lifts on Halloween.

Or at Killington, when it had been the first to offer top-to-bottom snow on Nov. 2. If you were there, go ahead and gloat. You earned the right.

I'm not complaining. Conditions at Killington on "Re-Opening Day" were simply wonderful. The K1 Gondola and the North Ridge Triple were running. Yo-yoing off the triple chair was fabulous.

Rime, Reason, East Fall and Great Northern were all covered from edge to edge. The snow was generally smooth, firm and very fast. In places, like the edges of Double Dipper, which was set up as a terrain park, you could even find pockets of powder.

Dropping below the summit on the long, circuitous cruise back to the base lodge put you under the snowguns and into even more powder. It was absolutely worth the long gondola ride back up.

Of course it doesn't take too many top-to-bottom runs at this time of year before your thighs start talking to you, softly at first, eventually screaming at you to "Stop!" That's OK. A bit of relaxing in the base lodge and you're ready to hit it again.

If you haven't gotten out yet, it's probably been at least six months since you were on snow. What are you waiting for?!?

The scene

Ideal snowmaking weather and, in some cases, a little natural snow allowed a bunch of areas to open on or ahead of schedule.

Be aware that terrain is still limited, but more will be open after each cold night.

If this cold continues, you can expect every major resort and a lot of smaller areas to be open the day after Thanksgiving.

Here's what was open as of Saturday, Nov. 22. Always call ahead to check conditions at this time of year:

Attitash in Bartlett.

Bretton Woods.

Crotched Mountain in Bennington.

Gore Mountain in North Creek, N.Y.

Jay Peak in Jay, Vt.

Jiminy Peak in Hancock, Mass.

Loon Mountain Resort in Lincoln.

Mont Sainte Anne in Beaupre, Quebec.

Mont Tremblant in Quebec.

Mount Snow in Dover, Vt.

Okemo Mountain Resort in Ludlow, Vt.

Pats Peak in Henniker.

Ski Bromont in Quebec.

Stowe Mountain Resort in Vermont.

Stratton Mountain Resort in Vermont.

Sugarbush in Warren, Vt.

Sugarloaf in Carrabassett Valley, Maine.

Sunday River in Newry, Maine.

Wachusett Mountain in Princeton, Mass.

Waterville Valley.

Here's the deal

Tenney Mountain in Plymouth will pay you to promote their skiing and riding. Buy an unlimited "Ambassador Season Pass" ($200 for an individual, $500 for a family of four). With your pass, you get $5 Discount Vouchers. Hand out the vouchers. Each time one is used, you get money back (half of the value of the purchase), until your total pass purchase price becomes zero. Then you get $5 for each. The season passes alone are a real bargain, getting money back is a bonus.

Christmas Week Deal: Jiminy Peak in Hancock, Mass., is offering that rarest of rarities, a holiday deal. Lodging packages for two, including two adult ski passes and free night skiing are $259/night during the week of Dec. 21-25. Kids 12 and under ski and stay free (one per paid adult) when you stay midweek. The deadline to book these packages is Dec. 10.

Last-Minute Bargains. The Stowe Area Association (www.gostowe.com) and Stowe Central Reservations are e-mailing a list of bargains every Thursday for the following weekend. This week's offering ranged from 10 to 50 percent off lodging and ski-and-stay packages.

Jay Peak in Vermont is offering early-seasons ski and stay packages as low as $79 per person/per night, which includes a free two-hour group lesson.

Sign up and complete the $199, three-day Learn to Ski or Ride program at Wachusett Mountain in Princeton, Mass., and get a free season pass.

Tim Jones writes about outdoor sports and travel. He can be reached at timjones@easternslopes.com.

Advertise

Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted.
seacoastonline.com ~ 111 New Hampshire Ave., Portsmouth, NH 03801 ~ Privacy Policy ~ Terms Of Service